James corrigan



(No Model.)

J. -O0RRIGAN.

HORSE COLLAR.

No. 542,927. Patented July 16, 1895.

IN VE N TUB WITNESSES.-

@% 4 A TTORN E Y3 UNITED STATES PATENT OF ICE.

JAMES CORRIGAN, OF NEW YORK, N. Y.

HORSE-COLLAR.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent 1 \l'0. 542,927, dated July 16, 1895.

Application filed October 9, 1894. Serial no. 525,324. (No model.)

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, JAMES CORRIGAN, a citizen of the United States, and aresident of New York, county of New York, and State of New York, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Expansible Horse- Collars, of which the following is a specification, reference being had to the accompanying drawings, forminga part thereof, in which similar letters of reference indicate corresponding parts in all the figures.

This invention relates to horse-collars, and has for its object to provide a device of this character which will present a cushioned and elastic surface to the neck of the animal, which will not only be adjustable in width and extensible in length, and in which a portion of the interior periphery may be collapsed in order not to bear upon that part of the neck immediately beneath, as where a sore or the like is present upon such part, but which will also be simple and cheap of construction, strong, and durable.

The invention consists in the novel inventive construction of parts hereinafter more fully described.

In the accompanying drawings, Figure 1 is a front elevation of a collar embodying my invention, closed or unextended, and with the interior thereof expanded. Fig. 2 is a transverse section of the same, taken upon the line mm, Fig. 1. Fig. 3 is a rear elevation of the device as shown in Fig. 1. Fig. 4 is a detail view of a portion of the collar further shortened, and Fig. 5 is a detail view of aportion of the collar with several of the interior sections or cells collapsed.

In the practice of my invention I construct two semicircular metallic bodies A A, sectionally segmental in shape and having their inner edges turned to form tubular rims a a, respectively, on which in practice the hames rest. At their points of junction at the center of the collar the rim (1 fits within the rim 0/ and the body A beneath the body A, the collar thereby being telescopically extensible,

and the parts are held together by means of thumb-screws b in the rim a at' each side bearing upon the rim a.

Upon the rear of the bodies A and A are secured flexible air-receptacles B, preferably of rubber, substantially cubical in form and rounded, as shown, and arranged to project inwardly beyond the rims a a wheninflated, to constitute air-cushions, thereby ofiering a yielding and elastic surface to the'neck of the animal.

In the outside of each of the air-eushionsis inserted an air-valve c, by means of which it may be inflated or collapsed either wholly or partially, these valves being of any desired construction and preferably extending laterally through the rear of the bodies to more firmly hold the cushions in place, these being usuallysecured by auxiliary means of any desired kind to the respective bodies to which they are to be attached.

The operation of the device will be readily understood from the foregoing description, taken in connection with the accompanying drawings.

v The collar being normally in the position and form indicated in Figs. 1 and 2, the screws c are loosened and the collar slipped upon the horses neck and the bodies A A either further extended or brought together until of'the proper length to fit the neck, when the screws 1) are tightened. Should it be necessary to shorten the collar further than the cushions will permit, one or more of the central cushions are collapsed by opening the airvalves 0, whereupon the bodiesA and A may be forced together against the collapsed cushions, as shown in Fig. 4:. Should the collar be too narrow for the animals neck, the cushions may be uniformly collapsed until the width of the-collar interiorly is sufficiently increased, and Where a sore or excrescence or any other irregularity of contour of the neck renders desirable one or more of the cushions immediately above the point affected may be Wholly or partially collapsed, as best shown in Fig. 5, whereby such cushions will conform to or not bear upon that part of the neck beneath.

The advantages resultant from the use of my invention will be manifest to all-who are conversant with the general class of devices to which the same appertains.

Having thus fully described my invention, what I claim is A horse collar comprising two semi-circu- Q sta e;

lar metallic bodies turned inwardly to form tubular rims, one of the rims extending into the other at their points ofjunction, whereby the collar is telescopically extensible, thumbscrews securing the same,a plurality of independent substantially cubical aud rounded rubber receptacles secured to the rear of each body and projecting inwardly therefrom and forming air cushions when inflated, and air valves extending from each cushion through the metallic bodies to secure the said cushions thereto, substantially as shown and de-' scribed.

In testimony that I claim the foregoing as my invention I have signed my name, in presi5 ence of two witnesses; this 4th day of October, 1894.

JAMES CORRIGAN;

Witnesses:

JOHN M. DEEMER, PERCY I. GRIFFITH. 

